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The army is a well-structured organisation with a solid base and hence it will cope with the recent controversies, the naval chief told newspersons after an investiture ceremony in New Delhi.
Admiral Kumar said Barak, the Israeli anti-missile system that cropped up in the Tehelka tapes, had been sent for examination nine or ten years ago and the Defence Research and Development Organisation had approved it in 1997.
In the tehelka tapes, there are allegations that former defence minister George Fernandes overruled A P J Abdul Kalam, scientific adviser to the prime minister, to get the Barak missiles for the Indian Navy.
Fernandes has denied that there was any controversy over India acquiring the missile system.
The Barak, which can destroy attacking missiles and neutralise and attack air-borne targets, is now being fitted on India's only aircraft carrier INS Viraat.
Admiral Kumar said the indigenous Trishul was considered to fulfil the role, but needed to undergo certain tests before it could be inducted.
He said technology was changing fast and what was now required were systems that were modern and lethal. So, indigenisation was the key word in the Indian Navy today, he added.
UNI
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